Collins Family Reunion
by The 1000th Kiss
Summary: Collins takes Angel and all of his friends to Virgina to his family reunion...but what will his family think of them? Sequel to Meet the Parents. Rated for language. R&R please!
1. Dear Tommy

**YO PEEPS AND PEEPETS! CAN YOU SAY SEQUEL!? I CAN! I'm excited (if you can't tell) to be writing this! WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!**

**I own nothing. The Almighty Larson owns it all.**

"Bills . . . great," Angel said, sitting on the couch to go through the mail. "Let's see. Light bill, heat bill, water bill, rent . . ." She laughed for a moment. "Like we ever pay that!" She flipped through a few more bills before she came to a letter addressed to Collins. What really caught her eye was that the last name of her lover and the last name in the return address were the same. "Virginia Collins? Who's that?" The door opened and Collins walked into the apartment, dragging his feet . . . well, one of his feet.

"Hey, Ang," he said, putting his breifcase down and starting to stomp his foot.

"Honey, what're you doing?" Angel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My foot fell asleep on the way home." Angel giggled.

"Poor baby," she said. Collins rolled his eyes and joined her on the couch. "We've got mail."

"You sound like that damn computer at work," Collins said. Angel giggled again and gave Collins the mail, save the letter from Virginia. "Light bill, heat bill, water bill, rent . . ." Collins laughed for a moment. "Like we ever pay that!"

"That's what I said," Angel told him, giggling once again.

"So, all we got today is bills?"

"Well . . . not exactly. You got a letter from someone in Virginia . . . named Virginia." Collins froze. "You alright, sweetie?"

"What's Virigina's last name?" Collins asked.

"Their last name is your last name," Angel replied, handing him the letter. "Why?" Collins stared at the letter in awe. "Honey?"

"Hmm?"

"You okay?"

"Ummhmm."

"You sure?"

"Ummhmm." There was a small silence.

"You gonna open it?" Honestly, Angel _really _wanted to find out who sent Collins the letter. She watched as he slowly opened the letter and read it.

_Dear Tommy,_

_How are you? I haven't heard from you in a long time and I miss you. Your father misses you too. We're all alone in this big empty house, wishing at least one of our kids would come back and visit. That someone could be you. Or you just write me back and give me your number so I can call you once in a while. You're my youngest and I love you. I meant to write sooner, but I've been so busy lately planning our annual family reunion in two weeks. All your brothers and sisters are coming. Your cousins, aunts, and uncles too. We're even trying to get Nana to come. You should come too. It'll be nice having the whole family together. Every year everybody asks about you and I tell them 'He's up in New York, making a living.' If you come, you can bring as many people as you want. It'd be nice of you to introduce your family to your friends. I know you have friends. It's impossible for you to be as nice as you are and not have any. I'd love to meet them._

_Sincerely, Mamma_

_P.S. Think about it before you say no. It would mean the world to me if you came._

Collins finished reading the letter and sighed.

"What?" Angel asked. "Who's Virginia? What'd the letter say?"

"My mom and she wants me to bring some of my friends to a family reunion," Collins explained, refolding the letter.

"That's great, honey! And it'd be the perfect opportunity for me to meet your parents!"

"Hold up there, Ang. We ain't goin'." Angel's face fell.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Cause . . ." Collins searched his brain for an excuse, "we don't have enough money for me to bring you, Mo, Jo, Roger, Mimi, and Mark." Angel took the letter from him and started to put it back in its envolope.

"I guess you're right," she said, having trouble putting the letter back. She sat it on the coffee table and dumped a piece of paper that was stopping the letter from being put away into her hand. Her eyes widened as she stared at the paper.

"What?" Collins asked.

"We're going," Angel said, smiling.

"How?"

"Because your mom sent us a check for 20,000 dollars!" Collins took the check from Angel and gawked at it.

_Damn_! he thought_. She's always two steps ahead of me_!

"So she did," Collins said, putting the check down.

"So we can go now, right?" Angel asked, feeling hopeful.

"No, we can't."

"Why not, honey?"

"Ang, my parents don't know . . ." Collins was unsure of how to continue.

"They don't know what?" Angel pushed. She thought for a minute. "They don't know we're together, do they?"

"They . . . don't even know I'm gay."

"What!?"

"They don't know I'm gay, Angel. I never came out to them."

"Well, we_ have_ to go now!"

"Angel, we can't."

"Your parents deserve to know!"

"My dad'll burn me alive!"

"You're overreacting, Collins."

"No I'm not. My dad's a preacher."

"He is?"

"Yeah. He's got this giant belief that all gay people should be delievered from homosexuality. I'll never hear the end of it if I come out to him. He'll disown me!"

"Then . . . fuck him! He can't tell you how or who to love!"

"Try tellin' _him_ that."

"I would . . . if we can go." Collins was silent. "_Please _honey? I'll help you come out. It's not so hard if you have help." Collins looked into Angel's eyes.

"Well . . ." he started, "I . . . guess we could-"

"YAY! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Angel interrupted, kissing Collins. "I'm gonna go call Mimi." With that said, Angel bounced out of the room.

_What are the consequences of what I've just done? _Collins thought.

**That's the first chapter! I hope it has you interested! Review please!**


	2. Welcome to Virginia

**YO PEEPS! Okay, I've been updating Stutter Bird** **so fast that I seem to have forgotten to update this story. So, I'm updating it so I don't feel bad.**

**I own nothing. The Almighty Larson owns it all.**

The bohemians and Benny (yes, Benjamin Coffin III) met at Angel and Collins' apartment three days after the letter from Virginia came. In a decision that was made at the Life Café, they rented a van to drive to the airport and another for when they arrived in Virginia. Everyone, save Collins, was happy about going to Virginia and Maureen wouldn't let anyone forget how anxious she was.

"I can't believe we're gonna meet Collins' family!" she exclaimed. "I can't wait! Aren't you excited, Pookie?"

"Yes, Maureen," Joanne replied, rolling her eyes.

"You don't seem excited. Marky are _you _excited? Are you excited, Mimi? What about you, Roger? Benny are-"

"Shut up, Maureen!" Roger shouted. Maureen stuck her tongue out at him as Angel came out of the apartment building dragging Collins by his arm.

"Get off me!" Collins demanded, trying to pry Angel's hand off of his arm. "I changed my mind! I don't wanna go!" He continued pulling on Angel's hand with no positive result.

"Collins, if you really didn't wanna go, you'd be able to get Angel's hand off you," Mark pointed out.

"She's stronger than she looks!" Collins managed to gain his freedom for about three seconds before Angel grabbed him again. "Let me go! I'm not goin'!"

"Yes you are!" Angel told him.

"No, I'm not and you can't make me!"

"Wanna bet?"

"Get off me, Angel! I don't wanna go!" Collins escaped Angel's grip again only to be tackled to the ground by her. She sat on him and pinned one of his arms behind his back. "I DON'T WANNA GO!"

"Collins, you're going! You're going even if I have to tie you up like a deer and make you ride in the part of the plane where the luggage goes! Do you understand me!?" Angel twisted Collins' arm.

"OW! Okay, okay! I give up!"

"Say you'll go!"

"I'll go! I'll go!"

"Now say 'uncle!'"

"Uncle!"

"Say it three times!"

"Uncle, uncle, uncle!" Angel let go of his arm and stood up.

"Now, was that so hard?" she asked calmly, smoothing out her skirt. She then helped Collins up, who glared at her. "Oh, don't give me that look." She turned to see her friends and Benny were staring at her with their mouths hanging open. "What?"

* * *

"Why did I know it was gonna be Maureen who got stopped at security?" Roger asked, earning himself a punch in the arm from Mimi.

"If she's there too long, we'll miss the plane," Joanne said, making Collins smile.

"You and I are going with or without Maureen," Angel told him. His smile turned into a frown.

"Alright, spread 'em," a security guard told Maureen. She did as she was told and the guard began waving the metal wand over her. It beeped at her head and the guard looked at her.

"Earrings," she told him, moving her hair so he could see them. He nodded and continued the wand waving until it beeped at her pocket. She took a set of keys out of her pocket.

"Are you gonna be much longer?" Mimi asked the guard.

"Almost done," the guard told her, continuing his procedure. The wand beeped right between Maureen's legs and his eyes widened.

"IT'S MY ZIPPER, YOU PERV!" Maureen yelled, slapping the guard across the face and running to Joanne. Moments later, the bohemians and Benny heard their flight called, got rid of their luggage, and boarded the plane. Angel sat next to Collins, Mimi sat next to Roger, Maureen sat next to Joanne, and Benny sat next to a nervous looking Mark.

"Collins, how much money did your mom send you?" Benny asked.

"Twenty grand," Collins replied. Benny's eyes widened.

"Then why the hell aren't we in first class?"

"We're saving money, Benny," Angel told him. "Besides, second class isn't that bad."

"Compared to first class, yes it is."

"Benny, you're lucky you were even invited," Roger said.

"Nobody asked you!" Benny retorted.

"Roger's right, Benny," Maureen said. "You have no idea how lucky you got." Benny rolled his eyes as a woman sat on the other side of Mark and noticed he was sweating.

"Excuse me?" she said to Benny. "Is he your friend?"

"For the time being," Benny replied. "Why?"

"He looks a little pale."

"He always looks like that."

"I saw him earlier from a distance and he didn't look _this _pale." Benny turned to Mark and then to Roger.

"Hey, Roger, does Mark always look _extremely _pale?" he asked.

"Yeah," Roger told him.

"He looks paler than usual though. You should come look." Roger sighed and got out of his seat.

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed. "Mark, what's wrong with you?" The rest of the bohemians crowded around Mark.

"He looks sick," Angel said.

"You think he's gonna throw up?" Maureen asked.

"Without a doubt," Mimi replied.

"Wait a minute," Collins said. He thought for a moment. "He's not sick. He's scared."

"How do you know?" Benny asked.

"He's never been on a plane before. At least not that I can remember."

"It'll be okay," the woman told Mark, grabbing his hand. "I was the same way when I got on a plane for the first time." Mark turned his head to her slowly and smiled slightly. "My name's Sylvia." A flight attendant then came toward the bohemians.

"I'm going to have to ask you all to sit down," she said. "We're about to-" She looked at Collins and lost her train of thought. Collins turned to her and waved his hand in front of her face.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She blinked a few times.

"Um . . . yeah," she said, smiling. "Uh, what's your name?"

"Why can't you tell me _your _name first?" The flight attendant's smile got wider.

"Tina," she said, holding out her hand.

"Collins . . . Tom Collins," Collins replied, shaking Tina's hand. She seemed a bit dazed. "So, what were you about to say before you asked me my name?"

"Oh! The plane's about to take off so you should get back to your seats and put your seatbelts on."

"Okay. Thanks for the heads up." Tina smiled again as someone called her name.

"I should get back to work," she said. "If you need anything at all, don't be afraid to call my name." With that said, she went to the front of the plane.

"I saw that," Angel said after everyone was sitting down with their seatbelts on.

"Saw what?" Collins asked.

"That girl."

"What about her?"

"She was trying to flirt with you."

"No she wasn't."

"You didn't see her the way _I _saw her, Collins. She was ogling you."

"Can I help it if I have a sexy body?" Angel folded her arms and looked away from Collins. "Ang, that girl means nothing to me. She just told me her name."

"She wants you, Collins. She_ really wants _you."

"There's a small problem with that." Collins turned Angel's face toward him and kissed her lightly. "I belong to you. I didn't put that ring on your finger for nothin', you know." Angel sighed and looked at the engagement ring on her finger. "I love you."

"I love you too, honey." They shared another small kiss.

* * *

"Mark, come on!" Maureen said. "The faster we get outta here, the faster we meet Collins' family!" Mark said a very sad goodbye to Sylvia, who'd kept him calm for the entire plane ride, and caught up with his friends.

"There are plenty of girls here, Mark," Roger told him. "I'm sure you'll find one you like." Mark said nothing.

"So Collins, can you tell us about your family?" Maureen asked.

"Well, I've got four brothers and a sister," Collins said.

"Wow! Who's the oldest?"

"My sister. And I'm the youngest."

"You're the baby, honey?" Angel asked. Collins nodded. "Aw! That's so cute!"

"Not when you have brothers that like to torture you all the damn time," Collins said.

"What are your siblings like?" Joanne asked.

"Start with your sister!" Maureen added.

"Well, Jasmine, my sister, is really the only one of my siblings I can actually stand," Collins said. "She's the only one who was nice to me when we were growin' up. She and I were the closest brother and sister in the world."

"Aw!" Mimi said. "What about your brothers?"

"Hmm . . . I'll start with my oldest brother. His name is Lamont, but my family calls him Stack."

"Why?" Roger asked.

"Cause he's the tallest," Collins explained. "Last time I checked he was 7'2."

"He must be a giant," Maureen said.

"He is a giant. A giant asshole."

"I take it you two don't see eye to eye . . . literally," Benny assumed.

"Nope. I try my best to stay away from him."

"What about your other brothers?" Mark asked.

"Martin and Reed are twins," Collins said.

"Identical?" Joanne asked.

"Yeah. They like to play with people's heads by saying they're each other. It gets annoying. Then, there's Jesse." Collins sighed. "I think it's best if Angel stays away from him. As a matter of fact, all the girls should stay away from him."

"Why?" Angel asked.

"Well . . . he's . . . good looking."

"What do you mean he's 'good looking?'" Mimi asked.

"He's unbelievingly good looking. He's gorgeous actually. But if you can't help that you happen to be near him at any time, don't look into his eyes."

"I don't think I'll be phased by him," Joanne said.

"I'm pretty sure you will be." Collins shook his head.

"Well, now I'm even more excited!" Maureen exclaimed. "Come on! Let's go!" The bohemians followed Maureen to the van, loaded their luggage into the back of it, and then got in it themselves.

_No turnin' back now_, Collins thought as he put the keys of the van in the ignition.

**YAY FOR THE UPDATE! You will meet Collins' sister, his niece, and (briefly) his parents in the next chapter. **

**Review please.**

* * *


	3. Jasmine

**YIPPEE! IT'S CHAPTER THREE! Hey, that rhymed! Cool! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! IT'S 2009! ALL YOUR T.V.'S ARE GONNA STOP WORKING ON FEBRUARY 17****TH**** IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR DIGITAL CONVERTER BOXES! HURRY UP AND GET 'EM IF YOU WANNA CONTINUE TO WATCH T.V.! HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY!**

**I own nothing. The Almighty Larson owns it all.**

"Oh. My. God," Maureen said, staring out the window of the van at a rather large house. "_This _is where you grew up, Collins?"

"Yeah," Collins replied.

"If I were you, I would've never moved out," Roger said.

"Trust me, man. If you were me, you would've made the same decision."

"I can't wait to see what the _inside _looks like!" Maureen exclaimed.

"Ten bucks says she breaks at least one thing," Benny said.

"Twenty says she breaks more than one thing," Roger replied.

"Forty says I break absolutely nothing!" Maureen said.

"You can't bet on yourself, Maureen," Joanne told her.

"Sure I can. And I'm gonna win too!" The bohemians and Benny got out of the van and began walking up to Collins' childhood home. Once they were on the porch Maureen tried opening the door, but it was locked.

"Is there no one here?" Mimi asked. Collins simply reached under the welcome mat and pulled out a key.

"Is that always there?" Joanne asked.

"Yup," Collins replied. "It's been there for as long as I can remember." He led his friends into the house and immediately saw Jasmine sweeping the hallway. "Jazz?" His sister looked up and her eyes widened as the broom fell from her hand.

"Tommy!" she exclaimed, running to Collins and hugging him. Collins hugged her back, finding it funny that he was now taller than she was. Their hug was broken after a few moments. "I can't believe you're here! I haven't seen you in years! Mamma said she sent you a letter askin' you to come down for the reunion, but I didn't think you would!" She hugged her little brother again before noticing that there were people behind him. "Oh, who do we have here?"

"These are the people I met in New York," Collins said, turning to his friends. "This is Angel, Mark, Roger, Mimi, Maureen, Joanne, and Benny."

"Nice to meet ya'll." Jasmine stared at Angel for a moment as if trying to figure something out.

"Nice to meet you too!" Maureen exclaimed, hugging Jasmine, whose eyes widened.

"Sorry about that," Joanne apologized, pulling Maureen away from Jasmine. "She's a little excited."

"That's okay," Jasmine said. "At least I'll remember her now." A small girl ran into the hallway.

"Ma, I finished the dishes," she said to Jasmine.

"That's good, sweetheart," Jasmine replied. "Look who's here." The girl turned and looked at Collins.

"Uncle Tom!" she exclaimed, smiling.

"This is Tammy?" Collins asked.

"Yeah," Jasmine replied.

"She's gettin' big."

"Well, you haven't seen her in a long time." Tammy hugged Collins tightly.

"I've missed you, Uncle Tom," she said. She stopped hugging Collins and looked behind him. "Are these your friends?"

"Yes they are," Collins told her. "Their names are Angel, Mark, Roger, Mimi, Maureen, Joanne, and Benny. Everybody, this is my niece, Tammy."

"Hi everybody," Tammy said. "Ma, can I go outside and play now?"

"Go ahead," Jasmine said. Tammy smiled and practically ran out the door.

"She's your daughter?" Mimi asked. Jasmine nodded.

"Why's her name Tammy?" Benny asked.

"Cause she's a girl and I wanted to name her after my favorite little brother," Jasmine explained. "If she'd turned out to be a boy, I would've named her Tommy."

"I wanna meet Jesse!" Maureen said.

"No. You. Don't," Collins told her.

"Jesse ain't that bad," Jasmine said.

"He said the girls should stay away from him because he's _so _good looking," Mimi explained.

"Well, he ain't lyin' there."

"I still wanna meet him!" Maureen said.

"Why don't ya'll go in the livingroom and sit down?" Jasmine suggested. "I'll bring you some lemonade."

"Which way is the livingroom?" Angel asked.

"Just go down the hall about halfway and then turn to your left. Tommy, could you help me with the drinks?" Collins nodded and followed Jasmine to the kitchen. "I'm gonna assume you remember where everything is."

"Of course," Collins replied, opening a cupboard, taking out eight glasses, and setting them on the counter.

"Tommy, can I ask you something?" Jasmine was at the refrigerator searching for the pitcher of lemonade.

"What?"

"That Angel person . . . is she really a . . . she?" Collins stiffened as Jasmine poured the lemonade into the glasses. "Well?"

"No." Collins' voice was barely above a whisper, but Jasmine still heard him.

"I didn't think so. I have another question for you."

"Can it wait?"

"No, it can't."

"Yes it can. You just don't want it to wait."

"Exactly. Now, why'd you bring a transvestite in this house?"

"I-" Collins started.

"You _know _how Daddy feels about gay people let alone transvestites!" Jasmine interrupted.

"I know, but-"

"What were you thinkin'!?"

"I was-"

"I know, you _weren't _thinkin'!"

"Yes I wa-"

"Well, if you were thinkin', then tell me exactly what you were-"

"I was thinkin' that my family had a right to meet the love of my life!" Jasmine's eyes widened and Collins looked at the floor.

"Love of your life?" Jasmine said in slight shock. "Tommy, are you sayin' . . .?"

"Yeah," Collins replied. "I am."

"This isn't good."

"I know."

"This is _not _good. Daddy's gonna kill you!"

"I know! Stop reminding me!"

"You should've waited to bring Angel here."

"If I waited any longer, it'd be even harder to explain."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Did you happen to see the ring on Angel's finger?"

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with any-" Jasmine stopped herself in mid-sentence and her eyes widened. "No way."

"Way." Collins smiled slightly.

"Tommy, you're engaged?"

"Yeah." Jasmine hugged Collins tightly.

"Congratulations! God, I'm so happy for you!" she exclaimed.

"This isn't the reaction I thought I'd get." Jasmine stopped hugging Collins and gave him a playful punch in the arm before finding a tray to put the glasses of lemonade on.

"How long?"

"About a month."

"Have you picked a date yet?"

"No. Angel wanted to wait until she'd met the family." Jasmine picked the tray up.

"Well, I'd better go congratulate her too." She and Collins joined the bohemians and Benny in the livingroom. After passing out the drinks, they sat on both sides of Angel.

"Come on, Pookie!" Maureen was saying. "I didn't mean anything by it! I was just being nice!"

"Sure you were," Joanne said, rolling her eyes and folding her arms across her chest.

"Damn," Collins said. "They fightin' already?"

"Yeah," Roger replied.

"What about now?"

"Well, honey, when we got in here the first thing Maureen said was 'Am I the only one who noticed how incredibly hot Collins' sister is?'" Angel explained, making Jasmine's eyes widen.

"And then Joanne said, 'I _knew _there was a reason you hugged her!'" Mimi added.

"Then Maureen did her infamous, puppy-dog pout and apologized about forty times," Benny said.

"And Joanne kept trying to ignore her," Roger added.

"And that's where you two came in," Mark said.

"I won't say anything like that about anybody else!" Maureen told Joanne. "I promise!" Joanne slowly turned to her girlfriend.

"You mean it?" she asked. Maureen nodded.

"Kiss, Pookie?" Joanne sighed and gave Maureen a peck on the lips. Jasmine then turned to Collins.

"Did she just-" she started.

"Yup," Collins interrupted.

"I can only imagine what's gonna happen during your stay here."

"It won't be _that _bad . . . I hope."

"Oh _please_. You know how Daddy is."

"And how exactly _is _Daddy?" a man with a very deep voice said, standing in the doorway.

"You should know how you are," a woman said, appearing in the doorway beside the man.

_Here we go_, Collins thought, taking a deep breath.

**NO COMPLAINING ABOUT THE CLIFFY OR I'LL DELETE THE STORY! Okay, no I won't. I'm just being strange. So, what do you guys think so far? Who has a prediction or suggestion about something? Tell me in your reviews or you can PM me. **


	4. Meet the Family

**Here's the next chapter guys! I LOVE YOU ALL! Okay, not all of you. Just those who take the time to read stuff I write. Kidding, I love everybody . . . except for one person. That _one _person can rot in hell for all I care, but the rest of you all have special places in my heart. Like (points) you (points again) and you and (points a third time) YOU! I CAN'T FORGET ABOUT _YOU!_ HUGS FOR EVERYBODY! *big hugs***

**I own nothing. The Almighty Larson owns it all.**

"Tom," the woman said in an accent that couldn't mistake she was from Virginia, walking over to Collins and hugging him. "I _knew _you wouldn't let me down. I so glad you decided to come."

"Well, ain't you goin' introduce us?" the man with the deep voice asked in the same accent as the woman. Collins took another deep breath and turned to his friends.

"These are the people who are near and dear to me," he said. "This is, for the third time today, Angel, Mark, Roger, Mimi, Maureen, Joanne, and Benny. You guys, this is Marvin and Virginia Collins. Also known as, my parents."

"Nice to meet everybody," Virginia said. She looked at her husband, who was staring intently at Angel, expectantly and cleared her throat.

"Yes," he agreed, still staring at Angel. "It's very nice to meet you." He then looked to Collins. "You picked a very interesting day to come down, Tom."

"I did?" Collins asked.

"Yes. Today is Saturday, which only means that tomorrow is Sunday. I assume you'll be attending church." Before Collins could respond, Tammy ran into the livingroom, holding something and giggling. Not even half a minute later an extremely tall man came into the room and immediately stopped when his eyes landed on Collins. A huge grin spread across his face.

"Well, I'll be damned," he said, speaking with a rather thick southern accent. "Mr. New York City done came back to town."

"Stack," Collins said quietly. He was suddenly receiving a hug that could be compared to an anaconda squeezing the life out of someone. "Oxygen . . . good . . . cuttin' of my supply . . ." The hug stopped.

"Sorry. I'm just happy and surprised to see my lil' brother is all."

"I bet you're more surprised than happy, Lamont," Marvin said.

"Nah. Pretty much half and half." Lamont turned to the bohemians and Benny, who were all staring at him with widened eyes. "These your friends, Tom?"

"Yeah and I've already introduced them three times," Collins replied.

"Why're they starin' at me like that?"

"It's probably you're height. I told them you were extremely tall, but I guess they didn't believe me much."

"Judging by the looks on their faces, I'd say they didn't believe you at all," Virginia said, smiling. She glanced at Marvin, who was still staring at Angel.

"MY GOD!" Maureen shouted, causing everyone to jump and Marvin's attention to go from Angel to her.

"What?" Collins asked.

"You said he was tall, but he's not tall, HE'S HUGE!"

"Seven foot two and still growin'," Lamont said proudly. Two men that looked exactly the same then walked into the room.

"Did you get it from her yet?" one of them asked.

"Hold your horses, Reed," Lamont told him. "Where'd that lil' troublemaker get to?" Tammy peered from behind Marvin's legs and giggled again. "Tammy-"

"It's mine now!" Tammy interrupted.

"What's yours?" Jasmine asked. "What does she have?"

"A tool to fix the ca-" Reed was elbowed in the stomach by his twin.

"A tool to fix the . . . what?" Marvin asked. Reed smacked his twin brother in the head and was smacked in the face in return.

"Reed, Martin, cut that out," Virginia scolded her sons.

"Yes ma'am," they both said together.

"Hey, Tom's here!" Martin said. He and Reed hugged Collins at the same time.

"Do you always have to do everything together?" Collins asked.

"Yeah," the twins replied.

"What does Tammy have?" Jasmine asked again.

"A tool to fix the car," Reed said.

"You weren't supposed to say that!" Martin responded.

"_I'm _not the one who broke it!"

"You broke the car?" Marvin asked in shock. "We _just _got home!"

"I know, Dad," Martin said. "I was parkin' it and then somethin' happened . . ." Martin stopped himself as his father's facial expression changed to anger. "Don't worry, Jesse's fixin' it." Maureen's eyes lit up.

"Where's Jesse?" she asked. "Where is he?"

"He's outside in the garage workin' on the car." Maureen suddenly flew out of the room, with Joanne, Mimi, and Angel all right behind her.

"NO!" Collins cried. "Roger, kiss your girl goodbye, man." He, Mark, Roger, Benny, and Collins' family all followed the girls. When they caught up with them, they were standing outside of the garage. A pair of shoes could be seen under the car and clanking noises could be heard.

"I only see his feet," Mimi said.

"He's gotta come from underneath the car," Reed told her.

"How do we get him to come out?"

"I know how!" Maureen said. "OH, JESSE!" The noises stopped and the person under the car slid from under it. A man with skin slightly lighter than Collins' stood up. He wore a pair of jeans with a small towel hanging in one of the belt loops, gray gloves, and an opened, sleeveless mechanic's shirt that said 'Jesse' on one side. As sweat ran down his chest and onto his six-pack abs, the girl's, minus Jasmine, gasped.

"Somebody call me?" Jesse said, taking his gloves off. Maureen walked up to him as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with his towel.

"I did," she said, smiling.

"Well, ain't you a pretty little thing?" Jesse flashed her a smile and she giggled. "What's your name?"

"Maureen."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Maureen." Jesse took Maureen's hand and kissed it gently as Mimi, Joanne, and Angel walked toward him. "And who are you lovely ladies?"

"Mimi Marquez," Mimi said.

"Mimi Marquez, huh? I heard Latinas are the way to go."

"You heard correct then." Jesse kissed Mimi's hand just as he had done Maureen's.

"I'm Joanne Jefferson," Joanne said, smiling and feeling strange that she was hoping a man would be attracted to her. She also received a kiss on the hand. Then Jesse moved on to Angel, who was trying her best not to look into his eyes.

"And you are . . .?" he asked. Angel looked up and her breath caught in her throat.

"Um . . . engaged," she said, causing Jesse to laugh.

"Your name?"

"Angel."

"Angel . . . indeed." Jesse kissed both of Angel's hands and held them. "An angel of the first degree at that."

"Okay!" Collins said. "Now, you've all met Jesse. Let's go back inside. It's hot out here."

"But I wanna stay with Jesse!" Maureen whined.

"Me too!" Joanne said.

"Me three!" Angel agreed.

"Me four!" Mimi added.

"MIMI!" Roger cried in disbelief. "I can't believe you!"

"What?"

"You're my girlfriend and you're drooling all over some other guy just cause he kissed your hand!" Something in Roger's mind clicked. "He kissed your hand!" Roger's face started turning red with anger.

"Hold up there, man," Jesse said. "I do that to every lady I meet. It's polite and I'm a gentleman." He winked at Angel, who blushed.

"Seriously guys, we should go inside and let Jesse finish up his work," Collins suggested.

"Can we watch?" Maureen asked Jesse for all of the girls.

"Sure ya'll can," Jesse replied. "Just as long as it don't bother you that I'm sweatin'."

"It doesn't brother me at all," Mimi assured him.

"The same goes for me," Joanne said.

"Dido," Angel replied.

"Same here," Maureen told him. Jesse flashed all four of them a brilliant smile.

"Well, step into my workplace," he said. The girls followed without listening to a word Collins or Roger said.

**Small thing. Jesse's bisexual guys! Just cause I want him to be! :P**

**Review please.**


	5. Homophobic Drama

**Soooooooooo . . . I hope you liked the last chapter. This chapter has a gang in it. A gang of . . . people. These people are from my imagination and are hated by me. Now that that's outta the way: THE GIRLS ARE STILL DROOLING OVER JESSE AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT! MWHAHA!**

**I own nothing. The Almighty Larson owns it all.**

The girls had been watching Jesse work for a half an hour after the boys gave up on trying to get them to come back inside the house. They happily helped him in any way they could. Angel passed him any tool he asked for, Joanne got him water, Maureen managed to get the tool he needed from Tammy, and Mimi wiped some sweat off his chest, which made the Latina _very _happy.

"Ya'll ain't bored from watchin' me yet?" Jesse asked.

"Are you kicking us out?" Maureen replied.

"Why would I? I'm done now, I just gotta see if it starts. Could one of ya'll hand me those keys over there?" Angel, who was the closest to the keys, picked them up and gave them to Jesse. "Why, thank you." Angel smiled as Jesse got into the driver's seat of the car. "Cross your fingers." The girls did as Jesse said as he put the keys in the ignition and turned them. The engine roared to life.

"You're a genius, Jesse!" Maureen exclaimed. Jesse laughed.

"Nah, Tom's the genius," he said. "I'm just the handyman."

"Handymen are hot!"

"You said it," Mimi agreed.

"Umm hmm," Joanne said. Jesse walked toward Angel.

"What do _you _think about handymen?" he asked, standing close enough that could Angel notice his eyes were the same as Collins'.

"Uh . . ." She stared at Jesse for a moment. "They certainly are handy." Jesse laughed again and Collins came back to the garage just as his brother kissed Angel on the cheek.

"What's goin' on in here?" Collin asked, doing his best not to start yelling.

"Collins, don't do anyth-" Angel started.

"Jesse, can I talk to you for a minute, man?" Collins interrupted.

"Sure thing," Jesse replied. "I'll see you girls inside." As the girls finally went back into the house, Collins pulled Jesse out of the garage by his arm for a long moment before finally stopping and facing him. "What's this about, Tom?"

"What the hell was that?"

"What?"

"In the garage."

"That was me givin' Angel a little kiss."

"Well don't."

"You don't want her to like me?"

"Of course I don't. Well, not _like _you."

"How come? She can choose who she wants to, right?"

Collins lowered his voice. "She's dating _me_. She's my fiancée."

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Tom! I _swear _I didn't know and-"

"It's fine. You're right, you didn't know."

"No it ain't. Whether I knew or not, I shouldn't have kissed her. She already said she was engaged. Congratulations, by the way."

"Thanks."

"Don't look now, but Stack and the twins are eyein' us." Collins turned his head toward his three other brothers.

"Oh shit," he said as Lamont, Martin, and Reed all came running toward them. "We're dead." He was then grabbed by Reed and Jesse was grabbed by Martin.

"You didn't think you was goin' come down here and not get ruffed up, did ya?" Lamont asked, smiling.

"Come on, he just got here," Jesse said.

"Don't think _you're_ exempt from it."

"Lamont Isaac Collins, you better leave those boys alone!" Virginia demanded, coming toward the four brothers.

"Fine," Lamont replied. He then knocked both Collins and Jesse's heads together.

"OW!" they both said as Lamont, Martin, and Reed ran away.

"Ya'll okay?" Virginia asked.

"I hate him," Collins said.

"Tommy, baby, you know I don't like that word."

"Sorry, Mamma."

"Why are we the automatic targets?" Jesse wondered out loud.

"Ya'll _are _the two youngest," Virginia said. "So, did you finish the car?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Where'd the girls run off to?"

"I think they went back in the house."

"Before I forget, Tyler called. He wants you to come in to work a little early on Monday."

"Great. I come home from work and not even a full hour later I'm already gettin' calls about _comin' back _to work."

"Cars don't fix themselves, sweetheart."

"I know, Mamma, I know."

"At least when you ask for a raise you have a pretty high percent chance of gettin' one," Collins said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Virginia asked.

"My job is a piece of shit."

"Tom!"

"I'm sorry, Mamma, but it's true."

"What _is _your job, Tom?" Jesse asked.

"I teach computer age philosophy at NYU."

"My baby boy, a college professor," Virginia said proudly.

"Half the time none of my students grasp what I say."

"I'm sure they will eventually." Virginia smiled. "Professor Tom Collins. I like the way that sounds." Her smile suddenly faded.

"What's wrong, Mamma?" Jesse asked, turning to look in the direction his mother was looking in. Five men were approaching them. "Damn."

"What?" Collins said. "Who are they?" As the men got closer Collins noticed that every last one of them wore a t-shirt with the rainbow flag on it. Only the flag had a giant 'X' over it.

_You have got to be kidding me_, he thought.

"Can I help ya'll?" Virginia asked the men, trying to keep all traces of fear out of her voice.

"We'd like to speak with Jesse for minute," one of them said. Collins assumed he was the leader.

"About what?"

"We just wanna talk, that's all."

"Unless I know what you're goin' be talkin' about, I don't think so." The leader made a motion and two of the other men grabbed Virginia.

"Hey, tell 'em to let go of her, Shawn!" Jesse demanded.

"I ain't gotta do a damn thing _you _say," Shawn replied. "Now, either you come talk with us, or we'll just talk with your mom. Your choice."

"Let her go or I'll-" Shawn punched Jesse in the stomach and then the face.

"You'll do what?" he asked Jesse, who'd fallen to ground. "What're you goin' do?" Jesse was quiet. "That's what I thought. Get him, boys." The two men who had grabbed Virginia threw her to the ground before joining the others as they surrounded Jesse.

"You okay, Mamma?" Collins asked Virginia, helping her to her feet.

"I'm fine, baby," Virginia told him. The men started kicking and punching Jesse until he was crying and begging them to stop. "Leave him alone!" Shawn stopped wailing on Jesse and turned to Virginia and Collins.

"What're you gonna do if we don't?" he asked Virginia. He then turned to Collins, unaware that Marvin, Lamont, Martin, and Reed where coming toward him. "What about you? You gonna do somethin'?"

"Just cause they ain't doin' nothin' don't mean _I _won't do somethin'," Marvin said. The other men stopped harming Jesse and turned to face Marvin.

"Nice to see you, Pastor," one of them said.

"I wish I could say the same about _you_."

"You wanna hurt my brother, you gotta deal with me!" Lamont shouted.

"That goes double for us!" Martin and Reed added.

"We don't want no trouble," Marvin said. "So, it'll be best if ya'll just leave right now, you got that?"

"Come on ya'll," Shawn told his friends. As they left Collins saw that the words 'Homosexuality is a sin' were on the back of their shirts. Martin and Reed helped Jesse to his feet and kept him steady. Marvin glared at him as tears and blood ran down his face.

"Dad-" he started.

"You see what happens when you're the way you are?" Marvin interrupted. "If you were normal, that wouldn't have happened. You could've gotten Tom and your mother hurt!"

"I didn't . . . I'm sorry, Dad."

"Sorry? If I would've let those hoodlums beat you half to death, _then _you'd be sorry!" Marvin turned on his heels and headed back to the house.

"Mamma, Tom, I'm sorry."

"It ain't your fault, baby," Virginia said. "Get him in the house so he can get cleaned up. I have to go have a little chat with your father." She went into the house after her husband. Collins held the door open so Martin and Reed could help Jesse get into the house and to the livingroom.

"Oh my God!" Maureen exclaimed, running to Jesse. "What happened to him?" Before anyone could say anything more, Marvin entered the room with Virginia not far behind.

"I told you I don't wanna talk about this anymore!" Marvin said.

"That's too damn bad then!" Virginia retorted. "He needs to know you're there for him!"

"Now, why would I lie to the boy?"

"He's your son! You _need_ to be there for him!"

"And if I'm not?"

"Then . . ." Virginia took a deep breath. "I'll leave."

"No you won't."

"Yes I will. I swear if you don't accept him the way he is, I'm leaving you."

"Well, why don't I get the door for you, then?" Marvin stormed out of the room and Virginia sighed.

"There is no gettin' through to him," she said, sitting on the couch next to Jesse.

"Somebody wanna tell us what happened now?" Mimi asked.

"Dad hates me cause I'm bisexual," Jesse said sadly.

"_He_ did that to you?" Joanne asked.

"Only if he's out of his mind," Lamont answered.

"Then what happened?" Angel asked.

"Damn homophobes got to him."

"Homophobes?" Angel's voice squeaked and Collins held her hand to comfort her.

"Yeah, but they're always in a group, never alone. They say they're 'doing God's work' by gettin' rid of anyone that likes their own gender."

"'Doing God's work?'" Collins asked.

"Yup. They're regular churchgoers too. That's why nobody can do anything about 'em."

"Somebody needs to do somethin,'" Martin said.

"And if all else fails, _we'll_ do something,'" Reed added.

"Oh no you won't," Virginia told them. "I already have to worry about Jesse bein' on the streets. I don't need to worry about ya'll too."

"Why does he hate me so much, Mamma?" Jesse asked. "I can't help it. It's the way I am. Why doesn't he just love me for me?" Virginia gave Jesse's hand a gentle squeeze.

"He'll come around, sweetheart. I know he will."

* * *

"Honey, do you think Jesse's gonna be okay?" Angel asked, removing her wig. She, Collins, and the rest of their friends had been shown to guest rooms after dinner. As of that moment she had on makeup, a t-shirt, and boy shorts.

"Why are you so interested in Jesse?" Collins replied, getting irritated. "You're _my_ fiancée."

"I know honey, but I'm worried about him. You said your dad was a preacher. You didn't say he was extremely homophobic."

"Well, Angel, he's homophobic. He's homophobic to the point where I wanna shoot him in the face."

"That's not nice. He may be homophobic, but he's still your dad."

"I know, Angel." Collins flopped down on the bed and sighed. "Do you know how hard comin' out to him is gonna be?"

"Relax, sweetie." Angel joined her lover on the bed. "You'll be fine."

"What if he doesn't want me to marry you?"

"Then that's his problem, not ours. I love you no matter what anyone else says."

"I love you too, baby."

"Where's the bathroom?"

"Why?"

"I have to take my makeup off. I look ridiculous."

"Down the hall and to the right." Collins chuckled as Angel left the room. Once she was in the bathroom, Marvin came into the hallway to head downstairs. Unaware of this, Angel finished taking off her makeup and stepped back into the hallway just as Marvin was about to pass the bathroom. She gasped and Marvin's eyes widened.

**"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?"** he asked.

**Ooooooooooh! What a cliffy! What a terrible, terrible cliffy! I'm gettin' cussed out for that I'm sure.**

**Review please.**


	6. Forced Out of the Closet

**When we last left off, Angel was spotted (out of drag) by Marvin. OH NO! What's gonna happen now?**

**I own nothing. The Almighty Larson owns it all.**

Angel stood completely still, frozen with fear. She wasn't expecting something like this to happen. She just stared at Marvin, who looked like he could explode at any moment.

**"I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!" **he yelled. Angel opened her mouth to give an answer, but nothing would come out. Hearing his father's outburst, Collins ran into the hallway.

"Dad, what's the matter?" he asked, standing in front of the still frozen Angel.

"You don't see him!? He wasn't here earlier! _Who are you!?_"

"Dad, he . . . she _was _here earlier. She's been here all day."

"'She?' As smart as you are, you can't see that's a boy!?"

"Dad it's . . . it's Angel." Collins looked at the floor as everyone else emerged from their rooms.

"Angel's . . . a boy?" Collins gave a slight nod.

"What's goin' on?" Lamont asked. He looked at Angel. "Who's that?"

"It's apparently Angel," Marvin told him. Then reality hit him. "You kissed Angel today, Tom."

"Yeah, I did," Collins said, still looking at the floor.

"You're . . . you're . . . Lord Jesus, give me strength. Tell me I don't have two gay sons."

"I would tell you just to get you to calm down, but I'd be lyin' to you," Jasmine said.

"Jazz? Did you know Angel was a boy?"

"Yeah."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't want you to . . . well, do what you're doin' right now."

"Dad, please don't hate him," Jesse said.

"_You _stay out of this," Marvin demanded.

"He can't just stay out of it, Marvin," Virginia said. "He's his brother."

"I don't care. I'm not talkin' to him right now. I'm talkin' to Tom. Speaking of which, look at me when I'm talkin' to you boy!" Collins lifted his head up slowly and met his father's furious gaze. "How many times have I said it when you were younger? 'A man is not meant to lie with a man . . .'"

"'As he does with a woman,'" Collins finished. "You said that practically every day once Jesse got his first boyfriend."

"And I thought it would've sunk in to your skull, but I guess your brain is so full of other things you forgot that bit of information."

"What about women lying with women?" Maureen asked randomly.

"Excuse me?" Maureen simply kissed Joanne gently. "Good God Almighty. Lesbians? I'm never gonna make through this reunion. Tom, do you have any heterosexual friends? At all?"

"Yeah," Collins said. "Mimi, Roger, Mark, and Benny." He thought for a moment. "Why are you so obsessed with the fact that I have gay friends?"

"I'm not worried about your friends, Tom. I'm worried about _you_."

"There's nothing wrong with me!"

"I beg to differ! The lifestyle you're choosing right now is goin' put you on the fast track to hell!"

"Hell would be better than here any day!"

"Tom, you don't mean that, do you?" Virginia asked. Collins said nothing, took Angel by the hand, went back to the room they were staying in, and locked the door.

"Honey," Angel said, sitting on the bed and speaking for the first time since Marvin yelled at her. "I am _so _sorry. I didn't know he'd be out there. I-"

"It's not your fault," Collins interrupted, tears burning his eyes. He then sat on the bed.

"You gonna be okay?" There was a knock on the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Jesse," Jesse said from the other side of the door. Angel opened it and saw Jesse standing in the doorway, holding onto a wall to keep himself on his feet. "Can I come in?" Angel nodded and shut the door as Jesse limped into the room. "Tom, you alright?"

"He's never talked to me like that before," Collins said, a tear falling from his eye. "Is that how he treats _you_?" Jesse nodded and sat next to him on the bed.

"I've learned to ignore it," he said.

"That's easier said than done."

"Yeah, but once you do it, you'll be okay."

"Now I know why you didn't wanna come here," Angel said, sitting next to Collins and grabbing his hand.

"You didn't wanna come?" Jesse asked his brother.

"No," Collins replied. "I should've just wrote Mamma back and told her that."

"And leave me by myself to get tortured by Stack and the twins? What kind of brother are you?" Collins chuckled. "I _knew _I'd get you to smile somehow." Jesse put a hand on Collins' shoulder. "In all seriousness, don't let that homophobe of a preacher stop you from lovin' Angel. Your decisions are _your _decisions. You understand me?"

"Yeah." There was a small silence. "So, have you called him Marvin lately?"

"One time! I did that one time and you won't let me live it down!"

"What're you guys talking about?" Angel asked.

"When we were little, Stack dared one of us to go up to our dad and call him by his first name," Collins explained. "Neither of us volunteered, so we had a race to see who had to. I won."

"Only cause you tripped me!" Jesse interjected.

"Not the point. Anyway, Jesse walked up to him and said, 'Anything good on the news today, Marvin?'"

"What'd _he _do?" Angel asked.

"He went insane!" Jesse said. "We all had to hide in our tree house. I've never ran so fast in my life!"

"Wouldn't he be able to come up to the tree house and catch you?"

"Nope, he hates climbin' stuff. So we were safe 'til dinner." Angel giggled. "Did Tom ever tell you about the talent show?"

"What talent show?"

"_Don't you dare _tell her about that!" Collins demanded.

"You told her about me callin' dad by his first name, so I'm tellin' her about you singin' in the talent show."

"He sang in a talent show?"

"Yup. We both did actually. We sang 'Shout' by The Temptations."

"How old were you?"

"I was 12 and he was 10. We had all the girls right in front of the stage and they were all screamin'. We were like little celebrities. Those girls loved us so much they decided to run up on the stage and mob us." Jesse chuckled. "One of 'em ripped Tom's pants off and another one ripped his shirt off."

"Oh. My. God. You're kidding!"

"Nope! He was standin' there clad in nothin' but his underwear, socks, and shoes!" Jesse began laughing.

"It's not funny," Collins said.

"Yes it is!" Virginia then came into the room.

"Is he alright, Jesse?" she asked.

"Yeah, he's fine."

"Good. Tommy, don't feel obligated to go to church tomorrow. You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Wasn't plannin' on it," Collins replied.

"The same goes for you and Jesse, Angel."

"Alright, thanks," Angel said. Virginia smiled at Angel and left the room.

"Well, I'm gonna head to bed," Jesse informed Angel and Collins. "See ya'll tomorrow."

"Goodnight," both Angel and Collins called as Jesse limped out of the room.

"Poor Jesse," Angel said.

"I'm gonna ask you again," Collins stated. "Why are you so interested in Jesse?"

"I'm not interested. He's just-"

"Hot?" Angel looked turned to Collins and saw an expression that somewhat resembled anger.

"No! Well, yeah, but . . . you're confusing me!"

"Admit it, Angel. You like him."

"Yeah, as a friend."

"You like him more than I friend! Don't lie to me! I can tell!"

"No I don't! Collins, what's wrong with you? Why are you so paranoid all of a sudden?"

"He kissed you."

"On the cheek, honey. It was a friendly kiss."

"It was still a kiss. And you don't see the way he looks at you."

"How does he look at me then?"

"He looks at you like you're . . . a piece of meat and he hasn't eaten in days. It's disgusting."

"So, he looks at me the way you look at me whenever you're horny?"

"Um . . . yeah, but you're my girl so that's different."

"How is it different?"

"He wants you, Angel."

"You want me too."

"I'm allowed to want you. He ogles you every five seconds."

"You mean like that girl on the plane was ogling you every five seconds?" Collins was silent and turned away from Angel. "Honey, even though he wants me, there's a small problem with that." Angel turned Collins' face toward her and kissed him lightly. "I belong to you. I didn't accept this ring from you for nothing, you know." Collins looked at the engagement ring that he'd put on Angel's finger almost a month ago and sighed. "I love you."

"Love you too," Collins replied.

"Prove it."

"How?" Angel pulled her lover on top of her, kissing him passionately. After a few moments Collins broke the kiss. "Wait a minute, Ang."

"What's the matter?"

"We're in my parent's house."

"So?"

"So what if somebody walks in on us?"

"Honey, it's always fun to sneak around. It just makes it more exciting, you know? Worrying if someone's listening, trying to moan quietly . . . though with you that's damn near impossible."

"You really wanna do this?"

"Is Tom Collins turning down sex?" Angel gasped. "I thought I'd never see the day."

"Don't get crazy now. I was just askin' a question."

"Well, my answer is yes. And if I were you, I'd hurry up before-" Collins cut her off with a bruising kiss. "I love you, Collins."

"I love you too, Angel."

**FINNY! Yeah . . . so the next story of mine to be updated will be A New Life. Be on the lookout for that. Review please.**


	7. Sunday in the Collins Household

**Good people of the fanfiction world, it is updating time! YAY! I'm _soooo _sorry I didn't update sooner! To make up for it, I give you this long, lovely chapter. Okay, **_**serious **_**drama in this chapter guys. I'm talking **_**major **_**tension in the Collins household. Can you stand that I'm distracting you from all the good stuff with this author's note?**

**I own nothing. The Almighty Larson owns it all.**

"Morning," Collins said, entering the kitchen and giving his mother a kiss on the cheek.

"Morning, Tommy," Virginia replied as bacon sizzled in a skillet on the stove.

"How come you didn't go to church?"

"I felt like I should stay home today. So that's what I did."

"You don't have to watch me. I'm an adult now."

"Adult or not you'll _always _be my little boy."

"I know." Collins pulled on his shirt collar. "How hot is it?"

"Oh, it's supposed to be up there today. The weatherman said it's gonna be in the 90's. It's already in the 80's."

"Jesus Christ."

"Tom, you know I don't like to hear you use the Lord's name like that."

"Sorry, Mamma."

"Speakin' of the Lord, your father just called. He said it was so hot in the church he had to shorten his sermon so nobody would have a heat stroke. He, your brothers, sister, and friends, except Maureen and Joanne, who I think are still asleep, will be back here in a little while."

"Oh joy." Collins looked at the stove and saw that eggs, bacon, and sausage were all cooking at the same time. He frowned. "Did you make anything for _me _to eat? All I see is meat."

"Well, I'm gettin' ready to make pancakes and grits, but I _did _make you somethin' special." Virginia walked to the refrigerator and took out a plate covered with aluminum foil. Collins stared at the plate.

"What is it?"

"It's a veggie omelet. All you gotta do is heat it up." Collins smiled, gave Virginia another kiss on the cheek, and unwrapped his omelet as Jesse, holding onto Angel's arm, limped into the kitchen.

"Thanks for helpin' me out, Angel," Jesse said.

"No problem, honey," Angel replied. "Hang on. I'll go get you a chair so you can sit down." Angel left the room as Collins put his omelet in the microwave.

"How do you feel today, Jesse?" Virginia asked her son.

"He's obviously gettin' back to normal since he's flirting with Angel and all," Collins said quietly yet loud enough for Jesse to hear him.

"I wasn't flirtin' with her," he said. "I was just thankin' her for helpin' me get down the stairs."

"Sure you were."

"She said you'd be paranoid if I asked her to help me, but I didn't think she'd be right."

"Well, you two seem to be gettin' along great. Maybe you should give me a heads up on what time would be good for me to leave the house so you can make out with her."

"That's ridiculous!"

"That's realistic!"

"Tom, Jesse, stop that fighting," Virginia scolded her sons as Angel came back into the kitchen with a chair. She then sat it next to Jesse.

"Here you go, Jesse," she said.

"Thank you, Angel," Jesse replied, starting to sit down.

"Let me help you."

"I'm pretty sure he can sit down on his own, Angel," Collins said harshly.

"That's enough," Virginia said. "You're brothers and you better start actin' like it." She then noticed that Jesse was in his work shirt, which used to have sleeves before he decided he was too cool for them. "Jesse, why are you wearin' that? I know you didn't sleep in it."

"Rachel called last night, said her air conditioner shut down on her, and requested that I wear this when I go over there to fix it," Jesse explained. "Meanin' I gotta go all the way back upstairs and get my tool belt." Jesse stood up slowly.

"I can help you up the stairs," Angel offered, letting Jesse grab onto her arm.

"I'll help him," Collins said quickly.

"Tommy, while Angel's helpin' Jesse, you can help me with breakfast," Virginia said, giving her youngest son a "you're helping me whether you want to or not" look. Collins sighed as Angel helped Jesse walk out of the kitchen.

After slowly making it to the top of the stairs and into Jesse's room, Jesse let go of Angel's arm and limped toward his closet. He made it about half way before he tripped over a shoe and fell.

"OW!" he exclaimed as Angel rushed over to him.

"You okay honey?" she asked, helping him sit upright. He immediately grabbed his knee.

"No. I think I hurt my knee even more." Angel helped him up and let him hold onto her arm again as he limped to his bed and sat down.

"Maybe you're just accident prone or something."

"Nah. I've always been the healthy one. I've never even caught a cold before."

"You've never caught a cold?"

"Never. Knock on wood."

"Wow. Well maybe it's me. Maybe I'm bad luck."

"There can _never _be anything unlucky about bein' around you." Angel blushed and looked away from Jesse. Seconds later, Jesse turned her face back toward him. "You have the prettiest eyes I've ever seen."

"Really?" Angel felt her and Jesse's faces getting closer together.

"Yeah. You're honestly one of the most beautiful people I've ever met." They were looking into each other's eyes at this point. Before Angel could respond, Jesse's lips were pressed against hers. Not actually realizing that the man that was kissing her wasn't her lover, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him on top of her.

**"WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN' ON!?" **they both heard Collins' voice yell. They separated instantly, both of them staring at the furious expression on Collins' face. Angel was the first to move toward him.

"Honey," she said, placing her hands gently on his shoulders. "Just cal-" Collins pushed Angel away from him and stepped toward the bed, where Jesse was still sitting.

"It's not what it looked like, Tom," he said.

"Oh really?" Collins replied. "That's a relief cause it looked like you were makin' out with my fiancé."

"I wouldn't call it makin' out, but-" Angel put her hands back on Collins' shoulders.

"Collins, honey-" He shrugged her hands off of his shoulders, lunged toward Jesse (knocking a lamp over in the process), and wrapped his hands around his neck. "Collins, stop it!" Hearing the crash of the lamp, Virginia rushed upstairs and into the room.

"What's goin' on up-" She stopped herself in mid-sentence. "TOM!" She ran over to the bed, where Collins was trying to strangle his brother. "Tom, what're you doin'!? Get off him!"

"Mamma . . ." Jesse choked out. Virginia managed to pry Collins' hands off of Jesse's neck, allowing him to breathe.

"What's the matter with you!?" Virginia asked Collins. "You could've killed him!"

"That was kinda the point, Mamma," Collins replied.

"Collins, sweetheart-" Angel started.

"Don't call me sweetheart," Collins interrupted.

"Honey-"

"Don't call me that either. As a matter of fact, don't call me sweetheart, honey, sugar, dear, sweetie, baby, darling, love, or anything else you've ever called me in English _or _Spanish! You know what? Just don't talk to me, alright?"

"But, Collins-"

"I said, don't talk to me." Collins stormed out of the room and Virginia followed him.

"Tom, wait," she said. Collins stopped at the top of the stairs. "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" Collins asked. "What's wrong with _me_? Mamma, you should be askin' that question to Jesse not me."

"Why? Was he stranglin' you too?" Virginia folded her arms across her chest and Collins was silent. "What about Angel, huh? What'd _she _do to you that you had to treat her so badly?"

"She was makin' out with Jesse, Mamma."

"She . . . was?"

"Yeah. She had her arms wrapped around him like . . . like . . ."

"Like he was you?"

"Yeah. I don't understand though. I'd never do anything like that to hurt Angel so why'd she-"

"Collins!" Angel called.

"I'll be outside," Collins told Virginia as he went down the stairs.

"Honey, please!" Angel started to go down the stairs after him, but Virginia grabbed her arm.

"He needs some time alone," she said.

"But I need to explain. He's never been this mad at me before."

"He's probably on his way to a quiet place where he can think for a moment."

"If he thinks, he'll never talk to me again. He'll want his ring back and he won't wanna marry me." Tears filled Angel's eyes and Virginia pulled her into a hug. "I didn't mean to kiss Jesse back it just happened."

"I know."

"I really do love Collins."

"I know that too. You just gotta give him some time."

"Mamma!" both Angel and Virginia heard Martin and Reed's voices call. The twins ran up the stairs with Lamont, Jasmine, Mark, Roger, and Benny not far behind.

"What's all the yellin' about?" Virginia asked, releasing Angel from their hug.

"Mamma, if you loved any of your kids, you'd divorce Marvin Collins _now_," Lamont said, a hint of anger in his voice.

"Lamont! Since when do you call your father Marvin?"

"Since he decided to invite the spawns of satin to our reunion!"

"What're you talkin' about? Why do you want me to divorce him?"

"Daddy invited the people that beat Jesse up yesterday to the reunion," Jasmine explained.

"The homophobic gang?" Angel asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Martin said. "He said there's too many homosexuals in this house so he's gonna have to scare 'em all straight."

"Startin' with Tom," Reed added. Angel gasped and hurried down the stairs, only to run straight into Marvin, who glared at her.

"Watch where you're goin'," Marvin told her. Angel looked at the ground to avoid making eye contact with him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm just looking for Collins."

"I just saw him."

"You did?" Angel looked up.

"Yeah. He was mumblin' somethin' about you and Jesse and how he'd be better off with someone else . . ."

"No!" Collins then came into the hallway. Angel ran to him and put her hands on his chest to stop him from walking.

"Angel-" he started.

"Honey . . . Collins, just listen for a minute, okay?"Angel interrupted.

"But I need to say someth-"

"What happened with Jesse was an accident!" Angel cried. "It didn't mean anything! It just happened! I swear I wouldn't do anything to hurt you intentionally! Please, please, please don't leave me! _Please_, honey! I don't know what'd I'd do without you!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Collins said, removing Angel's hands from his chest. "Who said I was leaving you?" Angel gave him a confused look.

"You mean, you don't think you'd be better off with someone else?" she asked.

"Where's this coming from?"

"Well, your dad-"

"What'd you say to her?" Collins asked Marvin.

"Nothing that you wouldn't have said if you were me," Marvin replied.

"What'd he say to you, Angel?"

"He said you were mumbling about me and Jesse kissing and that you'd be better off with someone else," Angel said, looking at her heels.

"I _was _mumbling about you and Jesse kissing, but not that I'd be better off with someone else."

"That's what he told me."

"And you _believed _him?"

"Well . . . yeah. I mean, it seemed like you hated me when you went outside so-"

"Let's get one thing straight right now," Collins interrupted. "I don't, nor will I ever, hate you. Yeah, I was pissed, but I didn't hate you. I just needed to think for a minute and cool down."

"So you still love me?" Angel was looking into Collins' eyes.

"Of course I do."

"And you don't wanna give the ring to someone else?"

"Hey, I gave that ring to _you _and only _you_." Collins held Angel's left and admired the ring on her finger. He then kissed her hand as the rest of his family along with Mark, Roger, and Benny filed into the hallway. "Ang, you're the only girl for me and I love you no matter what." Tears formed in Angel's eyes again.

"I love you too, honey," she said. Collins pulled her into a small, sweet kiss.

"Well, ain't that cute?" Lamont said, grinning. Angel and Collins' kiss ended and they both turned to Marvin, who was shaking his head.

"Hey, Tom," Jesse said. "I'm _really, really _sorry. I . . . I never-"

"It's okay," Collins interrupted. "She _is _irresistible."

"Now that that's over, I need to talk to you, Marvin," Virginia said, putting her hands on her hips.

"I'd rather go upstairs and work on my sermon for next Sunday," Marvin replied.

"You're not goin' anywhere. I'm sick and tired of you dodgin' my questions."

"I'm not dodgin' your questions. I'm just really busy."

"I don't give a damn if you're busy or not! I have somethin' to say and you're _gonna _listen whether you want to or not!"

"What could you possibly wanna talk about?"

"I want you to explain to me why the hell you think it's okay to invite a gang to our reunion!"

"If Tom can bring homosexual people here, then I can bring homophobic people."

"No you can't!" Lamont exclaimed. "That ain't how it works!"

"_You _aren't in this conversation, Lamont," Marvin told his son.

"Don't you talk to him like that!" Virginia demanded.

"I'll talk to him any way I want!" Maureen and Joanne suddenly came into the hallway.

"What's all the yelling about?" Maureen asked.

"Collins' dad invited those homophobes to the reunion," Mark answered.

"Why?" Joanne asked.

"Cause he's a sick, twisted-" Lamont started.

"_I'm _not sick and twisted," Marvin interrupted. "The sick and twisted one is-"

"You _are _sick and twisted if you invite people to your house who only wanna harm your son and you're gonna let 'em!" Virginia interrupted.

"She's right," Roger agreed.

"What kind of father _are _you?" Benny asked.

Soon, everyone was arguing about the fact that the reunion was was going to either end up being violent or bring even more drama into the house. Everyone, that is, except for Collins. He just listened to the arguments and tried to block them out. He looked back and forth at his friends and his family until their arguing became too much for him.

**"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!" **he yelled. The argument stopped instantly. "I knew this was a mistake from the beginning! I should've never brought anyone here! Hell, _I _shouldn't have even come!" Everyone stared at him. "If you guys wanna fight all day, be my guest, but don't expect me to sit here and watch!" Collins stormed out of the house and started walking with no destination in mind.

"Tom!" Jasmine called, running toward her brother. "Tom, please don't leave. We haven't seen you in so long and . . ." She broke off. "Please stay." Collins stared at her for a long moment.

"I can't be in that house right now, Jazz," he said. "It's . . . it's too much."

"We'll try not to argue."

"I doubt that's gonna happen with Stack and Dad in the same room." Jasmine opened her mouth to say something, but Collins stopped her before she could utter one syllable. "I'll be back. I just feel like bein' alone right now." He thought for a moment. "Do me a favor and take care of Angel 'til I get back." He then kissed his sister's forehead and started to walk again, faintly hearing her call his name one more time as he broke into a run.

**Another cliffhanger! Oh yeah, it took me this long to update anything because I'm in CATS at my high school and it's ruling my life right now. THREE MORE SHOWS THIS WEEKEND AND I'M DONE! YES! **

**Who wants to give me an unnecessarily long review? Any takers? Come on, whoever does it gets a cameo. Tempting, huh?**

**Review please. :)**


	8. Accepted

**Okay! I offered cameos in the last chapter for anyone who gave me an unnecessarily long review. And just so you know, I went by word count. So here's how it's gonna go down.**

**1st: My-Sanity-Went-B00m-**

**2nd: CeruleanStarGlow**

**3****rd****: broadwaybaby4205**

**4****th****: The Last Truffula Tree **

**5th: Marky's Scarfy**

**And 6****th****: Hazel Fae**

**Alrighty, good people. That's the order of the cameos. They shall start in the next chapter!**

**I own nothing. The Almighty Larson owns it all.**

Collins wiped the sweat off of his forehead with his arm. Even though he wanted to get away from his constantly arguing family, he regretted running in 80-degree weather. On the bright side, he knew where he was going he'd left the house, he hadn't had a destination in mind, but now that he was walking and could actually hear himself think, he decided to go to the home of the one person who hated his family fights just as much as he did.

Walking up to the porch of the familiar big white house, Collins started to have second thoughts, but he had to go somewhere. Jasmine was already upset about him leaving so he _really _didn't want to give her a heart attack if he had a heat stroke.

After hesitating for a while, he knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" the voice of a woman came through the door.

"It's Tom," Collins said, cringing as soon as his first name came out of his mouth. The door opened and he saw the face of his mother's mother, Rose Watkins. She was a small woman with dark brown skin and a friendly face that looked like she'd invite anyone into her house just as long as they wiped their shoes before entering. Her mouth spread into a smile as she looked up at Collins, who was two feet taller than her.

"Well, I'll be," she said. "I ain't seen you since you was knee-high to a grasshopper." Collins smiled at his grandmother's choice of words.

"Hi Nana," he said.

"Do I get a hug or did you go up to New York and get too big for hugs from your grandma?" Collins chuckled and enveloped the small woman into a hug. "I was wonderin' if you were ever comin' back." The hug lasted for about fifteen more seconds before ending.

"Well, I'm here now."

"You in town for the reunion?"

"Yes ma'am." Rose stared at Collins for a moment. He didn't seem as happy to visit her as she thought he'd be.

"What's the matter with you?" she asked.

"Nothing," Collins replied.

"I don't believe you, Tommy. If there's one thing I know that your Mamma doesn't, it's whether or not there's somethin' wrong with one of my grand kids." Collins opened his mouth to try and get the point across to Rose that there wasn't anything wrong with him, but he knew she was right. "Come on inside. I know you must be thirsty." Collins followed Rose into the house and into the kitchen, where the aroma of chocolate chip cookies and sweet potato pie filled the air. Collins inhaled deeply.

"It smells good in here," he said.

"I know," Rose gloated. "It's your two favorite desserts. I was bakin' 'em cause I was plannin' on comin' over later, but you're here now." Collins followed his grandmother with his eyes as she picked up an oven mitt off of the counter, put it on, and took a tray of cookies out of the oven after checking to see if the pies were done. She set the tray on the counter and put the oven mitt beside it.

"Nana, do I get a cookie?" Collins asked, feeling much like a five year old. Rose smiled at him.

"Of course you do, sweetie," she told him. She took a small saucer and a glass out of one of the kitchen cabinets and put three cookies on the saucer before walking over to the refrigerator with the glass in her hand and pouring a generous amount of milk into it. She then placed both the cookies and the milk in front of Collins, who had seated himself in a chair next to the kitchen table. "There you go. Be careful though. Those cookies just came out of the oven." Collins nodded and stared at his cookies as if he could somehow cool them down with his mind. "Your dad has the entire church ready to hunt you down and drop you into a pool of holy water." Collins looked up.

"Excuse me?" he said.

"Honey, your dad preached about homosexuality today and used you as an example." Collins looked at his shoes. "What's so interesting down there?"

"Nothing. I just . . . I'm sorry you had to find out like that."

"Child, I already knew." Collins' head shot back up and he looked into Rose's soft, dark brown eyes.

"How?"

"A mother may always know, but a grandmother picks up the stuff the mother leaves behind."

"How long have you known?" Rose sat down next to Collins.

"Well, when you were about twelve years old goin' on thirteen, Jesse got his first boyfriend, Mike. And Mike had a little brother the same age as you. Melvin, I think his name was. You remember that?" Collins nodded and broke a piece off of one of his cookies. "Well, you and Melvin got to know each other and then, just as you two became the best of friends-"

"He and Mike had to move," Collins interrupted, frowning slightly.

"That's right. He and Mike had to move."

"What does this have to do with how you already knew I was gay?" Collins put the piece of cookie that was still in his hand into his mouth.

"I'm gettin' to that part. Just hold on." Rose broke off a piece of one of the cookies on the saucer and ate it. "Now, when those boys moved away, I expected Jesse to be really sad, but I noticed that _you _were much sadder than he was."

"I was?" Collins broke off a larger piece of cookie, dunked it into his milk, and ate it.

"Yes you were." Rose shifted in her chair. "But what struck me as odd was the fact that your own mother didn't notice your change in behavior." She laughed for a moment. "I even pointed out that you weren't bringing stray cats into the house to live anymore and your mother just said, 'He's growin' up now, Mamma. He knows right from wrong.'"

"I still don't understand how-" Collins started.

"I'm almost there," Rose interrupted. "Let's see . . . I think it was one day before the move and Mike invited Jesse over to spend one last day with him so Jesse invited you to come along and hang out with Melvin. So I took both of you over to their soon to be old house and Melvin took you down to the river in the woods behind the house. Oh, hold on a minute, sweetheart." Rose stood up, walked over to the counter, put her oven mitt back on, opened the oven, took three pies out of it, one by one, and set them on a cooling rack. Collins sniffed the air as he stuffed another cookie into his mouth and Rose sat back down. "Where was I?"

"Theriverbehindthehouse," Collins said with a mouth full of cookie.

"Tommy, don't stuff your mouth or talk with it full." Collins picked up his glass of milk and drank half of it. "Tom!" Collins swallowed the mixture of cookie and milk, wiped away his milk mustache, and smiled Rose, who sighed and shook her head. "Anyway, it was almost time for us to go and Jesse couldn't find you. So I went into the woods and saw you and Melvin sitting side by side, hand in hand." Collins stared at his grandmother with widened eyes. He knew what was coming next. "Then, before I could call your name, Melvin leaned over and kissed you right on the lips. And you didn't complain."

"You never told me you saw that," Collins said, his eyes still wide.

"You never asked."

"So, you knew I was gay since I was twelve?" Rose nodded. "Oh my God." Collins covered his face with his hands. "Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God."

"Why do you keep sayin' that?" Collins stood up and left the kitchen. Rose followed him unhurriedly and watched him lean on a wall, still covering his face. "Tom, what's wrong with you?"

"You saw me kiss a boy." Collins' words sounded somewhat mumbled by his hands.

"And that bothers you?"

"Yes. You're my grandmother. When you were twelve, you didn't see gay couples much. I can only imagine what was goin' through your head when Melvin kissed me."

"It actually didn't bother me." Collins lowered his hands slowly. "Well, thanks for lettin' me see your nice face again."

"It didn't bother you?" Collins asked Rose, ignoring her last comment.

"No. Not at all. Besides, what kind of grandma would I be if I accepted Jesse and not you?"

"So . . . you're not gonna tell me about how I'm gonna go to hell if I don't date a woman?"

"Who told you that you were goin' to hell?"

"Dad."

"Forget about him. He has his own little world where everybody's straight, married with kids, and Christian. But in the real world, there are people who love who they wanna love and their families who accept them." Rose smiled at Collins and gave him a hug, which he returned. "I love you no matter what, Tommy." Collins felt like crying tears of joy. Someone in his family had accepted him and there wasn't a giant argument.

"Thanks Nana," was all he could say.

**Awww . . . YAY FOR GRANDPARENTS! :)**

**Review please!**


	9. Painful Truths

**Time for the next chapter and the first cameo! Sorry it took so long. I had to get the cameos together. I'm still waiting on one. You know who you are. You should anyway. On that note, here comes my disclaimer. I should really come up with a new one.**

**I own nothing. The Almighty Larson owns it all.**

Collins left Roses' house two hours later, carrying a small paper bag of cookies. He wasn't ready to go back to his old home just yet, so he decided to walk around the town. He'd left when he was eighteen and he wanted to see how much had changed. As he walked, he passed a woman with brown hair and glasses sitting on a bench being taunted by a man, who was holding something out of her reach.

_Not my problem_, Collins thought. Though he didn't want to, he turned around and walked back.

"Give it back!" the woman demanded, reaching for a notebook in the man's hand.

"Go out with me and we'll talk about it," the man told her. Collins walked behind the man and took the notebook from him, causing the man to stand up and face him. Collins was taller than he was by about five inches. The man froze.

"What's the matter?" Collins asked tauntingly. "You look like you've never seen a black man before." The man said nothing and quickly walked away. Collins smiled and sat next to the woman. She seemed to be glaring at him behind her glasses. "I believe this is yours."

"_Really_?" the woman asked sarcastically, taking her notebook from Collins. "Did you figure that out on your own?"

"Excuse me? I think I deserve a little more respect considering I just got your notebook back."

"I could've gotten it back myself. I had everything under control." The woman took a pen from her small purse, which was sitting on the bench beside her.

"Yeah. That was some_ serious_ control." The woman ignored Collins and began writing in her notebook. "You know, when I do something nice for a woman I don't even know, she's usually more grateful than this." The woman stopped writing and looked up at Collins.

"So you're one of _those_ types," she stated.

"What types?" Collins asked.

"One of the types of men who thinks he deserves something in return every time he does something for a woman. I call those types cavemen."

"Okay, what kind of person are you that you have to insult someone that just helped you out? Seriously, woman, what's your deal?"

"I _do_ have a name, you know."

"If I ask what it is are you gonna scratch my eyes out with your claws?"

"My name is Nicole, you jackass."

"I wasn't asking you what your name is. I was asking if I _could _ask without you insulting me again. My answer was given to me when you called me a jackass."

"Whatever. So, hero boy, what's in the bag?"

"None of your business."

"It smells like cookies. Where'd you get them? Did your mom bake them for you?"

"No."

"Your grandma?" Collins was silent. "So you're grandma's little boy, huh? I should've known. I mean, who else would make you wear a beanie?"

"I'm gonna walk away now," Collins said, standing up. He walked past the bench again. Nicole stared after him before gathering her things and following him.

"Hey!" she called. Collins didn't stop walking so she lightly jogged to his side. "Look, I'm really sorry, okay? I just . . . say what's on my mind sometimes." Collins stopped walking and looked at her disbelievingly. "What?"

"_Sometimes_?" Collins asked. " I highly doubt that."

"Okay, okay. I do it most of the time."

"Still not believing you, but I have a quick question."

"What?"

"How do you make and/or keep friends with such a fucked up attitude?"

"I don't have a fucked up attitude. I just don't like it when men think they have to do everything for me just because I'm a woman. It seems so controlling."

"I only got your notebook back. I'm not trying to control you."

"I know that. I just . . . can we start over?"

"Why would we do that when we've made it _so _far?"

"Can I at least know your name?"

"It's Collins, Tom Collins." Nicole stared at him. "What?"

"You're named after a drink?" she asked. "Is that what your parents named you, or are you such a drunk that's what everybody calls you?"

"My father's last name is Collins and my mother gave me my first name, which she is _very _proud of and would be deeply offended if she heard you making fun of it."

"Sorry . . . again."

"Why don't you keep your thoughts to yourself from now on, okay?" Nicole nodded.

"So . . . what's with the bag of cookies?" she asked.

"Comfort food," Collins replied.

"Can I have one?"

"No! They were made for me and _only _me!" Collins hugged his bag of cookies to his chest protectively.

"How about a small piece of one?" Collins thought for a moment before taking one of the cookies out of the bag and reluctantly giving Nicole a small piece of it. He watched as she ate it. "Hmm . . . they're good, but I bet I could make better ones."

"I don't think so," Collins disagreed.

"I do. Why don't you come to my place and compare?" Collins stared at her for a moment. "I promise I won't hold you hostage."

"I'm holdin' you to that." Nicole laughed and started leading Collins in the direction of her home.

**

* * *

**

"So, you're gonna show me your room?" Angel asked as she followed Jasmine from the livingroom and up the stairs. Collins had asked her to take care of Angel until he got back. Since Marvin rarely came into her room, she figured that would be the safest place for Angel to be.

"Yes I am," Jasmine replied. She led Angel down the hallway until they reached the very last door on the left. She then opened the door and let Angel enter the room before her. The first thing Angel saw was a red dress on a mannequin. The dress was strapless with sequins lining the sides and top.

"That's a really beautiful dress," she said. "Where'd you get it?"

"I made it," Jasmine replied, shutting the door behind her. Angel's eyes widened as she turned to face Collins' sister.

"You did?" Jasmine giggled and nodded. "It's . . . _amazing." _Jasminegiggled again as Angel walked over to the dress and touched it.

"Well, if you like it that much, I'd be happy to make another one just for you," she offered.

"Oh my God," Angel said, facing Jasmine again. "That would be great!" Jasmine laughed as she sat down on her bed. She patted a spot next to her and Angel sat on the bed as well. "Did Collins say when he'd be back?" Jasmine shook her head.

"I don't blame him for leavin' either," she replied.

"Has your family always fought like that?"

"For as long as I can remember. All the fights seem to start with Stack and Daddy arguin'." Jasmine sighed and frowned slightly. "Did Tom ever tell you _anything _about his childhood?"

"I asked about it once. He said thinking about his childhood gives him nightmares and he didn't wanna talk about it. He tells me everything else though."

"Well, there's somethin' you should know." Jasmine took a deep breath. "Tom . . . was . . ." She took another deep breath. "When Tom was seven, Daddy lost his job."

"As a preacher?" Angel asked.

"No. He didn't become a preacher 'til Tom was ten." Angel nodded and Jasmine continued. "Everything went downhill after Daddy lost his job. He had six kids he needed to clothe and feed, plus he was gonna lose this house. He found a part time job that he hated. He wanted to quit, but he took a picture of Mamma and us to work as a reminder that he needed to keep the job until he found somethin' that paid more." Jasmine paused for a moment. "A man that worked with him gave him a ride home one day and Tom, he loved Daddy a lot at that time, ran to the car. When Daddy got out, he picked Tom up, hugged him, and told him he loved him."

"That's sweet," Angel said, smiling. Jasmine wasn't smiling. She just stared straight ahead.

"I went outside with Tom and I saw the man lookin' at him. Daddy put Tom down and I took him back in the house. The man was talkin' to Daddy about somethin'." A tear fell from Jasmine's eye. "The man gave him a ride home again the next day. Later on that night, the man came back here and Daddy took him up to Tom's room. I know 'cause I followed them upstairs." Another tear fell onto Jasmine's cheek. "Tom was cryin' and callin' Daddy . . . but he wouldn't help him. He just stood outside the door like he was guardin' it." Jasmine wiped her tears away. "I started screamin' at Daddy. Mamma came upstairs and when I told her what was goin' on she started screamin' at him too." More tears fell from Jasmine's eyes. "When the man finally came out of Tom's room he gave Daddy a check. Three days later he quit his part time job, paid the mortgage, and didn't have to work again for a whole year."

"He . . . sold Collins?" Angel asked in shock. She had started to cry without realizing it. "How could he do something like that?"

"He said it was because he was desperate and didn't want his family to starve or be thrown on the street." Jasmine wiped her fresh tears away. "I'll _never _forgive him for that day. Neither will Mamma."

"How could she stay married to him after he sold her youngest child?"

"I've been tryin' to figure that out for years." Angel cried harder and Jasmine pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry if I upset you, Angel. I just thought you should know." Angel sniffed as Jasmine held her.

_I've got a whole new reason to hate that man now, _she thought.

**And that's my update. More interaction with the rest of the bohos and Collins' family will come soon. I hope you liked it and I hope I did good with the cameo. Did I do good My-Sanity-Went-B00m- ? Hmm?**

**Review please.**


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